WAM THEATRE ANNOUNCES SECOND ROUND OF GIRLS ENSEMBLE AUDITIONS
EXCITING TRAVEL OPPORTUNITY FOR PARTICIPANTS
“We envision a world where young women aspire to become confident leaders in their communities.”
Due to the recent addition of a new and exciting travel and learning opportunity for participants in their 2017 Girls Ensemble program, WAM Theatre has announced a second round of Girls Ensemble auditions for girls aged 13-18 on Wednesday, January 4, 2017 from 4:30-6:30 pm at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, 67 East St., Pittsfield, MA.
Under the direction of WAM Teaching Artists Amy Brentano and Barby Cardillo, the 2017 Girls Ensemble cohort will create their own devised theatre piece, which will be presented for the first time on February 17, 2017 for family, friends, and other invited guests at Shakespeare and Company’s Elayne P. Bernstein Theatre in Lenox, MA, which will be followed by a Berkshire County schools tour in March and April. Devised theatre is a collaborative process where the participants use different theatre techniques, such as improvisation, movement, physical theatre, theatre games and writing, to create original material around a chosen starting point. The resulting performance will have strong production values and share the perspectives and stories of the participants around a theme of importance in their lives, chosen together during the rehearsal process.
And this year, thanks to the generosity of the International Schools Theatre Association (known as ISTA), all members of the 2017 Girls Ensemble will be invited to attend the ISTA Conference in Atlanta, Georgia in March at no cost. Based in the United Kingdom, ISTA brings together young people, artists and teachers from different countries to experience, create and learn about theatre.
“I have attended many ISTA festivals around the world as a teacher, artist, and consultant,” said Kristen van Ginhoven, WAM’s co-founder and Artistic Director who has been involved with ISTA since 2005. “WAM is so excited for this opportunity from ISTA. I am sure that WAM’s Girls Ensemble participants will have a wonderful time in Atlanta and really benefit from this incredible learning experience.”
WAM Theatre is one of two projects ISTA endorses as part of their ISTA Connect program. The other program is in Kolkata, India. More information about the ISTA trip and ensemble can be found at:
http://www.wamtheatre.com/ista-trip-march-2017/
For the auditions, girls are asked to prepare an original piece -- a poem, a song, a dance, a monologue, a painting, or a combination of those that is between 1-2 minutes in length. They will also participate in the group audition, which will involve theatre games and ensemble group building activities. This is a tuition-based program but financial assistance is available and all accepted participants will be able to participate. All those auditioning are required to be present for the whole audition time from 4:39-6:30 pm on Wednesday, January 4, 2017.
Regular rehearsals will be on Wednesdays from 4:30-7:30 pm and Saturdays from 1-4 pm at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Pittsfield, MA. Intensive tech and dress rehearsals will start on Sunday, February 12 through Thursday, February 16, 2017
at Shakespeare and Company’s Elayne P. Bernstein Theatre in Lenox, MA. Participants chosen for the Ensemble must commit to being present for ALL rehearsals between January 4 and February 16, 2017, as well as for tour dates in March/April. For all the details, visit:
http://www.wamtheatre.com/out-of-school-program-girls-ensemble/
To book an audition or to ask any questions e-mail Alicia Maher, WAM Education Coordinator, at
alicia@wamtheatre.com or call WAM at
413-274-8122.
ABOUT THE TEACHING ARTISTS
Barby Cardillo is an experienced Teaching Artist and trained social worker who has taught at Community Access to the Arts, Shakespeare & Company, Berkshire Theatre Group, and Barrington Stage, WAM Education Associate Barby Cardillo has directed the company’s education program at Girls, Inc. for several years. She was most recently seen on stage as Juliet’s Nurse in the Pittsfield Shakespeare in the Park production of Romeo and Juliet. In addition she has performed with WAM, Shakespeare & Company, Berkshire Theatre Group, Boston Playwright’s Theatre, Mixed Company, New Stage, Whitney Arts Center, and the Berkshire Fringe Festival. An experienced improv artist, Cardillo is a founding member of the Royal Berkshire Improv Troupe (RBIT) and The Majesters Improv Troupe.
Amy Brentano was the film and theatre director at Berkshire Country Day School for four years, and she teaches and directs theatre at Richmond Consolidated School. In the past she has worked for Berkshire Theatre Group, Barrington Stage Playwright Mentoring Project, and the Southern Berkshire Regional School District. Brentano was the Co-artistic Director for Red Earth Ensemble and Producing Director for Don Quijote Experimental Children’s Theatre at Lincoln Square Theatre. She performed under the direction of Moises Kaufman at Theatre for the New City; and at La MaMa ETC as an ensemble member of Teatron. Most recently she appeared in an original piece at Shire City in Pittsfield with Kickwheel Ensemble.
OUR SEASON SPONSORS
WAM Theatre is funded in part by Mass Humanities, which receives support from the Massachusetts Cultural Council and is an affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities; and by the Massachusetts Cultural Council Cultural. Our 2016 sponsors include the Adams Community Bank, Berkshire Bank, Berkshire Magazine, Berkshire Sterile Manufacturing, Blue Q, Brabson Library & Educational Foundation, Canyon Ranch, Custom Business Solution, Dylandale Foundation, Feigenbaum Foundation, Garden Gables, Greylock Federal Credit Union, Guido's Fresh Marketplace, In Touch Printing, International Schools Theatre Association, Interprint, Dr. Jay Wise, DDS & Dr. Casey Jones, DMD, Jon Gotterer DMD, Keator Group, LLC, Lee Bank, Lenox Education Enrichment Fund, Massachusetts Cultural Council, MAXYMILLIAN Technologies, Michele’s Salon + Day Spa, Nina Molin MD, No. Six Depot Roastery and Café, Petricca Industries, Pittsfield Cooperative Bank, RB Design Co., The Rookwood Inn, Rouge Restaurant & Bistro, Toole Insurance, A. von Schlegell & Co., The Sherman Investment Group-RBC Wealth Management, the Dr. Robert C. and Tina Sohn Foundation, and Zabian's Fine Jewelers.
WAM Theatre is also supported in part by grants from the Lenox, Alford-Egremont, Pittsfield Cultural Council, Cultural Council of Northern Berkshires , Washington Cultural Council, Monterey Cultural Council, Stockbridge Cultural Council, West Stockbridge Cultural Council, Richmond Cultural Council – local agencies that are supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.
ABOUT WAM THEATRE
Based in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, WAM Theatre is Where Arts and Activism Meet. The company was co-founded in 2010 by Canadian director, actor, educator, and producer Kristen van Ginhoven. WAM’s vision is to create opportunity for women and girls through the mission of theatre as philanthropy.
Inspired by the book Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn, WAM donates a portion of the proceeds from its theatrical events to organizations that benefit women and girls.
Since 2010, WAM Theatre has donated more than $30,000 to eleven nonprofit organizations and provided paid work to more than 175 theatre artists. In addition to the main stage productions and special events, WAM Theatre’s activities include a comprehensive educational outreach program and the Fresh Takes Play Reading Series. For more information, visit
www.WAMTheatre.com
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